Jess Sellner, of Baltimore, MD was recently selected as one of two recipients of the 2022 Undergraduate Research Award from The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Chapter 22BC University of Maryland-University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UM-UMBC).
Each spring, the chapter's awards committee selects two applicants to receive $500 each for this prestigious honor on the recommendation of the Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) Committee.
Jess was selected by the awards committee for her innovative research abstract and strong letter of support from her mentors, Camee Maddox-Wingfield and Bambi Chapin.
In recent years, there has been an increased drive by individuals to seek ancestral knowledge and this study explores the nature of that rise. Related scholarship suggests that access to ancestral ways of knowing is sought by individuals attempting to shape and/or reclaim identity, decolonize thoughts and practices, reconnect with the land and preserve culture. An analysis of these pursuits may contribute to global conversations about climate change and systemic inequalities through the anthropological lens of cultural ecology and indigenous healing traditions. This research employs contextualizing literature, participant observation, interviewing and digital anthropological methods to explore the complex motivations of individuals seeking ancestral knowledge in the Baltimore, Maryland area. The study analyzes qualitative data gathered from two local groups with an interest in ancestral ways of knowing and a combined, active membership of about 150 persons to demonstrate the varied methods and motivations embodied by individuals seeking traditional solutions to contemporary problems
More About Phi Kappa Phi
Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. The Society's mission is "To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others." Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated. Some of the organization's more notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist John Grisham and YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley. Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards nearly $1 million to qualifying students and members through graduate fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, member and chapter awards, and grants for local and national literacy initiatives. For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit www.PhiKappaPhi.org.
More About Phi Kappa Phi Chapter 22BC
Chartered in 2010, Chapter 22BC invites the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors for membership in Phi Kappa Phi. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.